Control|24: Adding cue mixes

[slickmf]

Okay, I'm sure that this is going to be one of those questions that does not have a satisfying answer. I have a a C|24 linked up with Apogee AD-16X and DA-16X into an HD|3Accel system.

I have one viable cue-mix through the board: I send two analog paths (L&R) out from Pro Tools to the AUX IN on the Control|24. This is patched (by a setting in the board's "Utilities" function) into the C|24's AUX OUT which feeds my cue-mix/headphone amp in my isolation area.

Now this setup works flawlessly except for one fact: there seems to be no option for any secondary, tertiary, or quarternary cue-mixes to be sent through the board. I can always create one manually by patching another send out of Pro Tools into my headphone amps, but then I will not be able to make use of Talkback.

Does anyone have any suggested solutions (other than just adding another mike in the control room to be used as an Aux track). I look forward to your responses!

[Jules]

We got round it at our studio on our ProControl by using some parallels. I think we made 'mult' (parrallel, hardware split off double of the same signal) of the talk back mic..and 'added' it to the other foldback signals..

So split the talkback signal and mix it / add it to all sends to foldback amps.. you could do this without a patchbay by making up some some custom cables for this..

Thats a hardware solution.

you could try some internal mixer version of this but I always found that was prone to feedback, and loud noises through headphones as sessions boot up etc...

[slickmf]

If I understand you correctly (though I don't quite get the term "mult"), you are saying that I should take my external talkback mike (at least, I happen to be using an external one since the internal, like most of the hardware ins/outs on this unit, sounds pretty bad) and split its outputs somehow between the TALKBACK MIC IN on the C|24 and maybe another input into ProTools itself that I can patch into separate send/cue-mixes with an AUX track? Even in this setup, I guess the Talkback button is rendered useless in most cases since you still have an Aux input of the same feed floating around somewhere.

I hope you can understand what I just said since it really isn't making too much sense now that I've read it back ;)

Originally Posted by Jules

you could try some internal mixer version of this but I always found that was prone to feedback, and loud noises through headphones as sessions boot up etc...

I don't quite see how I'd pull this off, unless you're suggesting actually hacking the board a bit, which I really don't feel like doing at this point in my life. It's just doesn't seem to be as much fun as it used to be in the pre-throw-away-society age of cheap circuit boards.

How can Digi claim its commitment to pro audio excellence (no arguments here please: we all know that Digidesign at least _thinks_ it's the best) when not even taking instances like this into consideration. I'm sure I'm not the only one that has more than one cue-mix going at times. Although, I'm sure if I asked them about this, they would let me know that this is all my fault for not purchasing an ICON.

[slickmf]

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Bump!

I know someone must have something to add here. Please ;)

[slickmf]

Okay, based on the responses (or lack thereof), it looks like I may just have to bypass the Control|24 altogether and try one of the Hear Technologies talkback units. It's a few hundred bucks, but if that'll solve my problem, so be it. I will report here once I have it hooked up.

[Jules]

Perhaps clearer, with a soldering iron, and cables - SPLIT the output of the the talk back signal - so that it

Goes to the regular headphone send that you use from the Control 24
but ALSO to the other headphone amps that you want to use.

So - for example

Control 24 = business as usual one stereo out put (or two mono outs, thats up to you how your wire your headphone amp & Headphones)

Extra stereo amp has talkback signal going to left & right it AS WELL AS feeds from say, Pro Tools interface out puts 3 & 4

That way you have an extra headphone network - with talk back..

No patch bay - no need to buy extra gizmo..

[slickmf]

Jules:
Thanks for clarifying. I was, in a way, afraid that this is what you meant;). Oh well, time to cut this sucker down the middle and see what it's made of...

Incidentally, I have an opportunity to try that Hear Tech talkback unit anyway for very cheap, so I'm going to do it just to see how much I like the IR remote. I'll give a report how everything goes. Thanks again.

[slickmf]

Update:
I purchased a like-new Hear Technologies 600 MV talkback unit from GS user 'parissound' for a couple hundred, and I am very impressed. Not only has it made it possible for me to impart my talkback signal to all my cue mixes without hacking my Control|24 (never seems to help the re-sale value), but it makes work-flow a little better for me since I now have an infra-red wireless talkback remote for myself, and I will get another for clients in the control room. Also, I can now switch between pairs of monitors through the unit, something I was doing manually before (I know, I know, but please, one piece of gear at a time!).

For anyone dealing with the same conundrum with the C|24 as I was, this unit solves the problem nicely... and it's a nice little bit of green to my otherwise-blue-black-and-grey-only racks of equipment. Incidentally, the unit supports 6 balanced inputs and 6 balanced outputs (i.e., 3 stereo pairs), but I think multiple units can be daisy-chained somehow for more mixes.

So, to sum it up, I think this was a good choice. At least that's how the first 24 hours have gone. I may be cursing it out just like everything else in another day or so

Thanks for the help all.

[Chris G]

Originally Posted by slickmf

Okay, based on the responses (or lack thereof), it looks like I may just have to bypass the Control|24 altogether and try one of the Hear Technologies talkback units. It's a few hundred bucks, but if that'll solve my problem, so be it. I will report here once I have it hooked up.

i got the Hearback and its awsome. you will have to route the output of the talkback mic to a channel in PT and send it out to the hearback using the adat i/o on your 96 or 192, but it works perfect. you will also quit hearing " dude, can I get more of ____ in my ears". They can do it themself.